SIR Alex Ferguson will take a late check on top scorer Ruud van Nistelrooy before deciding whether to pitch the 12-goal striker into Monday's Barclays Premiership clash with Fulham.
The prolific Dutchman has missed the last two games after finally falling victim to a problematic injury just below the calf, but he was due back in training today and could play as United look to record a fifth successive league win.
Sir Alex Ferguson must also do without Wes Brown for the trip down to Craven Cottage after the defender limped out of Wednesday night's Champions League defeat at Fenerbahce with an Achilles problem.
Ruud van Nistelrooy is definitely out of Manchester United's Champions League clash against Fenerbahce on Wednesday.
Van Nistelrooy sat out Saturday's 3-0 victory over Southampton at Old Trafford with a calf injury, and will now miss the final Group D game in Turkey.
Sir Alex Ferguson is taking no chances with the Holland international with United already qualified for the knockout stages, and he hopes the Dutchman will now be fit for next Monday's Barclays Premiership match at Fulham.
"Ruud has this injury at the bottom of his calf and it is proving troublesome," said Ferguson on www.manutd.com.
"We felt we had to leave him out against Southampton and Fenerbahce to try and get him back 100% for the Fulham game."
Ferguson appears poised to ring the changes again for the game with Fenerbahce, just as he did for last week's Carling Cup triumph over Arsenal.
"We'll rest a few of Saturday's team," added Ferguson.
"The boys who played in the Carling Cup against Arsenal on Wednesday will get a chance."
Ruud van Nistelrooy insists the Premiership title remains very much at the forefront of Manchester United's ambitions this season.
Van Nistelrooy, who was on the scoresheet in United's 3-0 win against West Brom on Saturday, said: "We believe in ourselves, make no mistake about that.
"We never give up until the end and why should we? Now we are on a good run hopefully we can keep it going and we can only do that by working hard.
"They made it very difficult for us and we didn't create any openings in the first half but Scholesy finished off the first goal and that changed things," he told BBC Radio Five Live.
Paul Scholes scored twice to spoil Bryan Robson's big day as Manchester United ran out comfortable 3-0 winners at The Hawthorns.
Scholes broke the deadlock with a sweet right-foot strike in the 53rd minute before Ruud van Nistelrooy got in on the act.
Scholes headed his second nine minutes from time to move Sir Alex Ferguson's men into the Premiership's top four - and ruin Robson's hopes of an upset against his old club.
Robson's Baggies managed to contain rejuvenated United during a deadlocked first half.
Wayne Rooney had United's best chances, firing just wide in the 20th minute and heading over the bar five minutes before the break.
Zoltan Gera's bid to give the Baggies a shock early lead had been foiled by Roy Carroll's diving save in the 18th minute.
Scholes finally put United ahead in the 53rd minute after finishing off a fine move involving Ryan Giggs and Gabriel Heinze.
Giggs' flick found Scholes on the edge of the box and he fired a powerful right-footed shot into the corner of the net to Russell Hoult's right.
Moments later Rooney beat Andy Johnson and tested Hoult with a low drive the goalkeeper got down to gather.
United grabbed their inevitable second in the 71st minute when van Nistelrooy grabbed his fourth Premiership goal of the season.
Heinze headed Giggs' free-kick back across the face of goal where the Dutchman was waiting to nod home from point-blank range.
Nine minutes from time Scholes grabbed his second goal of the game when Albion failed to clear a Giggs cross and he pounced to knock in Rooney's headed assist.
Sir Alex Ferguson will rest some of his star players for the final Champions League group game against Fenerbache next month.
With qualification to the last 16 assured after last night's 2-1 win over Lyon, which took Manchester United into pole position in Group D, Ferguson will now focus on trying to pick up vital Premiership points either side of the game in Turkey on 8 December.
Lyon dropped down to second spot following this defeat but have also qualified.
Speaking about the final group placings, the United manager said: "Being first or second doesn't really matter. I will certainly make changes in the last game and put out a few players who need to be playing."
More immediately, Ferguson has selection problems for the game at West Brom on Saturday. Ruud van Nistelrooy (calf strain), Gary Neville (virus) and Ryan Giggs ( hamstring) could all be struggling to take part.
Van Nistelrooy came off in the 72nd minute after scoring the winner to seal a positive few days for Ferguson, who chalked up his 1,000th game as United manager. The Dutchman made it an astonishing 36 goals in 37 Champions League games for United - and it ended Lyon's spirited resistance.
He got on the end of a Rio Ferdinand cross in the 53rd minute to head the ball home after the defender showed good skill.
Ferguson said: "The man scored again, he is unbelievable. He only had a couple of chances and took up a perfect position to get the goal. You have to give Rio some credit in the build-up. He did exceptionally well."
United opened the scoring in the 19th minute through a rare Gary Neville goal, the defender lashing the ball home from close range. Ferguson admitted he was ready to take the England international off as he was under the weather. "We thought we would give him a minute but then he scores a goal," added the manager.
Neville was replaced at the break by Wes Brown after Mahamadou Diarra had pulled Lyon level just before half time following a dreadful error by goalkeeper Roy Carroll.
Ferguson, however, refused to condemn his Northern Ireland shot-stopper. "Roy has been very consistent," he said. "It can happen, goalkeepers make mistakes."
Meanwhile, the Scotsman was given some expensive wine by chief executive David Gill in a presentation on the pitch before the game. And Ferguson saluted his team for a champagne display.
"I am proud of my players for the way they presented themselves," added Ferguson. "Some of our football was great."
Lyon coach Paul Le Guen gave a positive assessment of his team's performance, despite the defeat. "We have nothing to be ashamed of," he said. "We played some good football and I was pleased with the display considering the number of injuries we've had. Manchester United deserved to win."
REDS WAIT ON RUUD
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